THE HPRT SHORT-TERM ASSAY IN MONITORING INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO GENOTOXIC AGENTS

This Paper reviews several monitoring studies where the short-term HPR T assay has been applied. The original method uses autoradiography to detect H-3-thymidine incorporation in variant cells that have undergon e DNA synthesis; the bromodeoxyuridine modification employs this thymi dine analog and fluorescence plus Giemsa staining. The studies discuss ed here were accomplished with either of these methods. methods. Expos ures analyzed include radiation and chemotherapy as medical treatments and accidental exposures to radiation; these studies have been useful in the validation of the assay because radiation and anticancer drugs are well-known mutagens. Other potential mutagens such as environment al arsenic and a parasitic infection and praziquantel, used for its tr eatment, have also been monitored for hprt locus mutation. An overview of the results obtained with different agents and routes of exposure is presented here as well as some methodological aspects for the optim ization of the assay for monitoring studies.